Wildfrost mobile review – a pain in the deck, in the best way possible

WildFrost is tough. This is something I learned very quickly after adopting it WildFrost Mobile Review, I'd heard very positive things about the game on other platforms, but I hadn't played it myself, and played relatively blind. So, when I found myself repeatedly dying to the first boss, I began to wonder if it was 'me' a problem, and repeatedly said “Dude, I started saying “useless”.

Turns out it wasn't just 'me' problem. Although I certainly made some stupid mistakes, coming to terms with the death of your new friends is part and parcel of getting started in WildFrost. In fact, early tips posts from all over the internet convinced me that you would die several times, but the more you play, the easier it becomes – that is, as long as it sticks around and when you finally die. If you manage to get it then it becomes really hard again. To the end of a race.

WildFrost is a charming and unique deck builder with a roguelike gameplay loop. You start off by choosing one of three leaders from a selection of different tribes (you start off with only the Snowdwellers unlocked, but gain access to more down the line), then take on a variety of enemies. Enter the treacherous, snowy tundra to fight the entire host.

Along the way you can collect new party members and ability cards to strengthen your deck, as well as charms to boost certain stats and crowns to ensure you win each battle. Start with the cards you want. Then you die, usually because of something stupid, like an explosive attack from an enemy, taking out your leader before you get a chance to use his healing, and you're back to normal. Are.

This game is completely brutal, but it is one of the most entertaining card games I have ever played. And, in the style of all the best roguelike games, it rewards you for your efforts, even when you die horribly.

Throughout the game you are tasked with completing a selection of challenges, such as recalling a certain amount of allies to heal them, killing a certain amount of enemies, or dealing a specific amount of damage – all of these You can achieve in multiple runs. After achieving one of these milestones, you unlock a new feature in the village.

The village serves as a hub between runs, and contains a variety of shops and locations that you unlock and upgrade through these challenges. Over time, this gives you access to new pet cards to fight alongside you, new allies to meet in the wild, new skill cards to add to your deck, and more. Additionally, while out in the field, you may sometimes encounter an injured teammate from a previous race. If you agree to have them join you, they start out with half their HP, but defeating a battle with them on your team heals them fully, which can be very valuable – Especially if it's a colleague you've drawn with charm.

WildFrost has a lot of moving parts, and, for the most part, it leaves you to work on them all. There are a few short tutorials provided by the friendly, smiling sunshine on the yellow text box (you can access these freely via the blue question mark button), but, beyond that, it's up to you to figure out everything. Wrap your head about. Thus, it is integral to take your time and tap on each card to read the effects of any buffs, debuffs, and abilities present in them and plan both your deck and battle strategy accordingly.

Fortunately, while the game is never 'easy', once you get into the swing of things it becomes quite intuitive, especially as you unlock more tribes, cards and useful items that can help your merry Berries help summon and strengthen the team of warriors. There's also no time limit, so you can really consider your move without any penalties.

WildFrost is a gorgeous game, with a wonderfully whimsical OST and sound design, beautiful artwork, and an attention to detail that ensures every element – ​​from menus to shops to enemies – fits cohesively into its unique worldview and setting. Sits. And, thanks to its vivid colors, easy-to-read UI, and simple animations, it all translates perfectly to mobile.

During my numerous runs, I didn't encounter any stuttering or performance issues on my iPhone 13, and everything loads very quickly, so you won't have to wait to jump into the next fight. It also works great at suspending the game when you switch to another app or leave your phone for a while, meaning you can get back into the race without worrying about losing your progress. Can.

The controls in WildFrost Mobile are also very intuitive and easy to understand. You tap a card with one or two fingers to read its effects, depending on the position, and you drag your cards onto the battlefield to use them. The only real issue I have with the controls is that sometimes, when you drag a card onto the field with your hand, your phone may recognize it as a 'swipe up', and minimize the game. Or take you to app selection. Carousel.

Additionally, scrolling up in the village will sometimes cause you to accidentally select a building. Drag and drop for both cards and charms can be a bit tricky, and sometimes take a few tries to register – although this can be affected by the warmth of your fingers/thumb and palm, and not enough The point is that it bothered me in any real, concrete way.

One really refreshing feature of WildFrost Mobile is that it is a premium title. As a direct port of the PC and console versions, it simply requires a one-time purchase and contains no microtransactions. This means no login bonuses, premium currencies, battle passes, in-game shops, ads or pop-ups screaming 'come on, spend $20 to buy some tokens you know you want'.

Additionally, unlike many other card-based titles, this is not a gacha game, meaning you don't have to pull up a banner and pray to the RNG gods to unlock new allies or ability cards – you just You have to keep playing to unlock everything the game has to offer, although RNG rates dictate what cards and allies you get on each run!

If for some strange reason you decide that the main game isn't that difficult for you, you can also go on a 'daily trip' by tapping on the hot air balloon in the village. It generates a new adventure every day with random cards and modifiers, and all cards, tribes, events and attractions are unlocked during the daily journey – but you only get one attempt to challenge it each day.

Although I haven't explored this game mode much myself, I really appreciate its inclusion, as it adds even more replayability to a game that already has such a long runtime, and you Offers a little extra edge to those who have performed best in the main game. A few times.

Overall, WildFrost is an absolutely fantastic little deck builder that is capable of both frustrating and fascinating you in equal measure. It's as adorable as it is dangerous – like a kitten with a knife in its mouth – and its punishing but rewarding gameplay loop is immense, making it a perfect fit for mobile. It's simple on the surface, but there's a lot to it, and, in my opinion, it's worth the premium price. If this sounds like you, I urge you to give it a try.

If you're looking for more premium mobile games, be sure to check out our X Astris review. Or, if your heart is set on the world of TCGs and deck builders, we have a handy Marvel Snap tier list, as well as a Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel Meta Deck Guide.